Secrets of Darkovia: Book 1: Traitor
by Zelda-rox12
Summary: Kayla is training to be a Shadowslayer. And her final task? Find the vampire's weakness. Work for them, discover their secrets. Simple, yes, until her trust and affections become a thing of question. As Z puts it, "Whose side are you on?"  No flaming.
1. Chapter 1

_**Hello everyone looking at this beautiful and amazing story! It really is a shame that there are only 6 stories for AQworlds. That number might grow as time passes, so there might be more (or less) if you are reading this.**_

_**Believe it or not, this was a school assignment. To write a story. I tweaked a few things, so that's why some facts are a bit different from the actual game. Why am I telling you this? So you will stop flaming, that's why! I'm serious. Just go with the flow. This is about writing, making great stories, not about how Dire Wolves are actually much bigger or much smaller than I have portrayed them. Okay? No flaming. Please.**_

_**Now, Darkovia is an island in some mixed-up world that never receives a drop of daylight. No. Flaming. I like this Darkovia better, actually.**_

"I have a new assignment for you," Kayla looked up at the ShadowSlayer, who was twiddling a silver knife in between her fingers. Reflected in the silver's polished surface was a beautiful woman with perfectly cropped blond hair, slightly tan skin, and a very sly smile that held many secrets behind it. That was Z. No last name, just Z. The last letter. The last resort. When things started to go wrong, people call the ShadowSlayers. When things couldn't be _allowed _to go wrong, people call Z.

She stared at her top apprentice, Kayla, with intense blue eyes. Not the soft cotton candy blue, but like ice, cold and sharp. "The vampire population is in danger of growing," Kayla nodded, knowing her duty. She was part of the ShadowSlayers, and her job was to keep the creatures of Darkovia- vampires, werewolves, and werepyres (a deadly combination of the two)- from overrunning the night-world.

The two of them stood in a dark room, lit by small orange candles, flickering around the perimeter. They were in the Shadow Academy, where humans trained in fighting, endurance, other skills needed to defend against Darkovia's onslaught. This was the Deployment Room, where new missions were received.

"Is a war coming?" Kayla asked, remembering the last time a battle had broken out. A four-way war, Werewolves vs. Vampires vs. ShadowSlayers vs. Werepyres, hardly leaving a soul on the island. There was a "reservation" for the humans who weren't ShadowSlayers, but not many stayed there, for obvious reasons.

"Yes and no," Z replied coolly, focusing her gaze back on the knife. "Not," She twirled the blade on a finger. "if you complete this task. We need the vampire's weakness. Whose knows how we're going to grow that all-powerful garlic on a blasted island that doesn't give sunlight! No. There must be something else. Werewolves, as you know, we've got covered,"

_Silver,_ Kayla thought to herself, looking at Z's blade.

"But once we know the vampire's fault, their Achilles Heel, as some say," She smiled. "We will be able to tackle the Werepyres," Kayla shivered at the name. "Anyway, we need someone on the inside, watching them, figuring out what will bring their downfall. They know me, they would never trust me, but you are a new face. Fresh meat," She smiled, but her expression went serious again. "We need answers, Kayla. We need to find their weakness,"

.o.~.O.~.o.

Kayla ran swiftly through the dark woods, only barely dodging trees, each step light and fast. As a ShadowSlayer, and a very professional one at that, she was quick, strong, and quiet.

Except she wasn't all that quiet at the moment. Her regular, traditional Shadowslayer uniform-cloth cape, hardened leather boots and armored shirt-had been replaced with a simple, tan, cotton dress, like what the humans from the reservation wore. Thorns, twigs, and leaves clung clung to the skirt, but it did help support her character.

"_You need to look somewhat weak. Innocent," _She remembered Z saying. _"You're a simple peasant girl whose family is dead or lost for whatever reason you come up with, and you need a place to stay,"_

Kayla did feel weak. Without a pistol, bow and arrows, or even a good old sword at her side, the ShadowSlayer seemed so vulnerable and puny. Z did allow her the small, sturdy silver dagger, which rested, hidden, in her boot. If the vampires were to find it, she would say it was to ward off any werewolves who might attack.

The woods began to clear, trees thinning out, and Kayla could now see the dark indigo sky above her. It was speckled with stars, the twinkling, tiny pinpoints of light. She slowed her pace. It would look unnatural for her if she was running with so much agility in the vampire territory. She had to be trusted. Kayla had slowed down just in time. She could sense the presence of something else, some_one_ else.

"Human!" Kayla heard him before she saw him. She skidded to a stop, opening her eyes wide and whipping her head around, easily making herself look confused and scared. And it wasn't all that hard. Training had always pushed her to keep a mask of anything but fear, and all she had to do was get rid of that mask. She found it was easy to be afraid.

So when a cold hand grabbed her bare shoulder, Kayla found no difficulty in producing a very convincing scream. She spun around, and found herself staring into a pair of bright, fiery red eyes. Vampire.


	2. Chapter 2

_**Hello again! I bet you're wondering, how did she get another chapter out so fast? I'll tell ya. I already had the whole thing written out, just having to tweak a few things. So, as I have told Animevampfreak, you will get a chapter of this story a day. A chapter a day. It's a good deal, no? of course it is. Now read!**_

"Vhat are you doing ze territory of ze Vempire?" The vampire boy hissed in a thick accent. Golden hair rested just above his shoulders, and strong, powerful muscles rippled under a dark Victorian suit. The Vempire was their word for the Vampire Empire. It couldn't really be called an Empire, but there's vampires for you. All vain, no brain.

_He must be part of the royal family._ Kayla thought. The more royal blood flowed for your veins, the richer your clothes were. And older, too. Vampires were still stuck in the age of monarchy and suits and castles. Z thought they were just nuts, but Kayla always liked their non-modern ways.

"I, I, I-" Kayla stammered. She was purposefully trying to seem a bit stuttery, but now, standing in front of a real vampire, carrying virtually no weapons, Kayla couldn't really be sure her nervousness was fake. "I need a place to live. I'm cold. I'm hungry. Can you help me?" It was a weak try, and the vampire didn't seem all that convinced. Her heart pounded, and her knees started to knock. At least her shivers could be taken as signs of cold.

"Vhere is your family?" He asked, cocking an eyebrow. His deep red eyes stared intensely at her.

"Killed," Kayla whispered. Luckily, she had already come up with this part of her history. To add to the drama, she added, "Killed by the werewolves," It worked. Sort of. The vampire's eyes narrowed, the red tinted with rage. Kayla took a tentative step back.

"Blast zhose Lycans!" He hissed, cursing some ancient vampire swear. He turned to Kayla. "And vhat do you vant me to do? Bring zhem back to life?" His anger and frustration was clear.

"I can work," She offered hopefully. "For shelter. For food. I can serve the, uh," She remembered the word he had used. "Vempire," The vampire boy considered this. looking at her sturdy form, looking for any potential signs of weakness. Kayla stood up straighter, and brought back the fearless mask. She stopped her shivering/trembling, and was relieved to see a form of satisfaction in the vampire's eyes.

"I'm not zhe one to decide," He broke the silence after a pause that seemed to last for forever. "You vill need to speak to Safiria. She vill make the decision," Kayla brightened, but only on the outside. Safiria, the queen of the vampires, was cold, stern, and not exactly someone to smile about. It would take a miracle to pull this off. Well, she had gone this far. No stopping now.

"Oh thank y-" She began, but the vampire held up a hand to stop her.

"Do not zank me yet," He hissed. "Because if," His red eyes glared coldly at Kayla. "Safiria decrees no, ve vill have human blood for dinner,"

_Oh don't I believe it,_ She thought.

"Come," He announced. "I vill not slow for you,"

The two of them sped off through the rest of the woods, Kayla easily keeping up. Though whenever he turned around, she did her best to look a bit winded and tired, so as not to arise suspicion. When the tall pines had all but disappeared, Kayla could now see the Safiria's castle.

"Zhere it is," The vampire said, looking up at the huge black structure. Kayla was awed by it, but there were more pressing matters at hand.

"Is that accent fake?" She asked. He looked at her in surprise.

"Uh..." He scratched the back of his neck, looking from Kayla to his shoes. "Yeah. Yeah, it is,"

"Then why..?" She smiled at him.

"It sounds impressive, okay? It sounds like a vampire," He muttered. All traces of the accent had disappeared. He really had seemed more impressive and threatening before, whether it was the accent or not. Either way, she wasn't quite as scared of him, not feeling quite so _different_ as before.

"It sounds like Dracula," Kayla put in. The vampire looked at her curiously, intensely. She held up her hands in defense. "What? You have something against Dracula?"

"No," He said slowly. "It's you. You've just lost your family, about to be judged by a Queen of Vampires, and out of all the things in world to say, you asked about my accent," Kayla gulped. She had to stay in character, or else this wouldn't work. This was what she had feared would happen.

"It's just," Kayla began. "I might as well make the good of things. I don't know, humor, that sort of off-topic funniness, it keeps the mood light, you know?" He nodded slowly.

"I'm Brysin, by the way," The vampire, Brysin, added, holding out his hand.

"I'm Kayla," She smiled, shaking it. She'd never shaken a vampire's hand, and it was, to her, very, very cold. Brysin must have felt something like that, because he pulled away quickly, holding his hand like he had been burned. She raised her eyebrows.

"I had no idea you humans were so," He searched for the right word. "hot," Kayla smiled hiding a blush. He really had no idea what he was saying. Kayla had never been referred to as pretty, hot, whatev. She had been praised for fighting, agility, strength. Never that shallow, girly crap. And even though what he had said was an accident, Kayla couldn't help feeling a bit giddy. But that was pushed back immediately.

_I shook hands with a vampire!_ She thought crossly. _What's wrong with me? I'm a ShadowSlayer! Brysin is my enemy!_ Not to mention, she shouldn't even be worrying about looks, or whether she was "hot" or not. At least he seemed to trust her. There was still some good in this.

The two of them walked up to the castle.

Safiria's castle was everything a castle should be. There were turrets, towers, and twisting stairways galore. Tall, peaked, gothic windows sat around the walls, some lit, but most dark. The very structure of the castle was vampire. It wasn't symmetrical in any way, but not entirely random. The lengths and widths of each tower, every spire and spike was so ingeniously placed, that the very being of it was a message along the horizon, a warning. Not in words, but just a sign that shouted 'Vampire Castle,' Fascinating was an understatement.

Brysin led Kayla into the castle, which was lit only by torches. As they went up stairs, through hallways, and past a labyrinth of different rooms, the two of them met no others, vampire of human. But Kayla was almost positive she was being watched, that the shadows were hiding more than just stone walls and a couple of cobwebs.

_Now why won't they come out?_ Kayla wondered._ Why aren't they showing they showing themselves?_

At last, she was pushed up to a door which was covered in ornate iron designs. Brysin didn't move any further, and Kayla looked back at him uncertainly.

"Safiria is waiting in there," He explained. "Tell her your story, and let her decide your fate. But I warn you," Brysin's face was grave. "it was your mistake in coming here Kayla. You are foolish," She said nothing and pushed open the door, which was much heavier than she had thought. Safiria was inside, ready to decide if she can stay, or if she will make an excellent dinner.


	3. Chapter 3

_**GUESS WHAT? I didn't keep my promise! I'm so evil. Sorry, I didn't mean to keep you fans and others waiting, but we went on vacation for two days and I wasn't able to post anything! Believe me, I'm so so so sorry. But here's the chapter!**_

_***Claps***_

The Queen of Vampires had obviously been waiting. Her black leather shoes tapped the ground impatiently, her gloved arms crossed over a red, richly layered, medieval gown. Long, black hair was plaited in thousands of different braids, all twirled up in an elegant knot above her head. Golden yellow eyes stared at Kayla with almost identical intensity to Z.

"You were waiting?" She asked nervously. Safiria rolled her eyes.

"You noticed?" She said, her voice smooth and harmonic, but very sly. "So why did you come here? I don't turn humans to vampires on a regular basis. But you show courage to seek out the Queen of Vampires when most of my meals run AWAY from me," Kayla shivered on the word, "meals," but stood up tall, wanting to look useful, worth something. She had worked up a bit of courage around Brysin, but now, Safiria's icy and venomous aura drained it away. Only determination drove her forward.

"I need somewhere to stay," She said firmly, fighting to keep her voice from breaking. "My family was attacked and killed by werewolves, and I decided to come here," Safiria was watching Kayla, scanning her like an x-ray. She could see the Queen's eyes flicking to her every movement, the smallest fault in her voice that would give her away. Kayla then remembered something so important, she almost forgot to include it. "I was going to join the ShadowSlayers," Safiria hissed softly at the word. "But my family never trusted them. Thought they were liars, tricksters, and not entirely human. I didn't want to risk it. This seemed like my final option,"

Safiria nodded, convinced. "So you will work for us? Pose as a servant?" Kayla's excitement was growing; her plan was working! Still, she had to keep her happiness under control.

"Yes," She said, slipping in a tiny hint of eagerness. "But please, will you let me stay uh, human?" The vampire considered this, cocking an eyebrow.

"Why?" Safiria asked. "Vampires are faster, stronger, and get the work done around here much more efficiently. Humans are just..." She paused, eyeing Kayla. "Weak," That sparked her anger. Kayla hated being called weak. Especially by a vampire. Her most dire of enemies.

"I'll show you weak!" Kayla almost shouted, bringing her arm down to strike the vampire. Safiria hissed, barely flinching. For someone wearing a long red dress, she moved with surprising ease as she sidestepped the blow, revealing a long sword from a hidden pocket. Kayla knew a challenge when she saw one. And she had foolishly started a fight between her and the Queen of Vampires.

Kayla's thoughts flashed to the dagger in the boot, but she thought better of it. Safiria neatly whisked the blade through the air, the whistling of the thin strip of metal inching closer and closer to Kayla. The ShadowSlayer dodged the first blow, and took a hasty mini-leap across the embroidered carpet to the other side of the room. On the top of the empty fireplace sat a large, single-edged sword with a bamboo handle. A katana, a weapon Kayla was very familiar with. Only this kind was covered in red and black ornate designs, giving the weapon an evil feel to it.

Kayla grabbed the blade, barely blocking a fatal blow from Safiria. She had sparred before, and obviously, so had the Queen of Vampires.

_Vampires are faster, stronger,_ Kayla told herself, dissecting Safiria's possible fighting style. _Not to mention, they don't tire. But I have surprise on my side. I've been trained, only she doesn't know that. I have more endurance and power than the regular human being._ All true. Kayla never underestimated or overestimated herself. Ever. She didn't bother to include Safiria's agility-limiting dress, remembering how easily she had dodged the first strike.

Kayla swung the katana in an ark, but was pushed off by Safiria at the last second. She took an unsteady, wobbly step backwards, retreating from the vampire's firing range.

No one moved. Kayla stood at one end of the embroidered carpet, Safiria at the other. Both were motionless. Then, Safiria feinted, putting Kayla on her guard, but then she took a quick, little, backstep. Before Kayla could register what had happened, the vampire jerked the carpet forward with the toe of her leather shoe. The ShadowSlayer, already a bit unstable, was thrown to the ground, rolling to the left to avoid the sword's swipe. But she wasn't quick enough, and there was a flash of pain as the tip of the sword cut into her upper arm. Kayla inhaled deeply through gritted teeth, throwing herself back to her feet. This was _not_ a battle she could afford to lose. To make up for the cut, she gave Safiria and her dress a few slices that wouldn't easily be forgotten.

However, the vampire seemed to feel no pain from these attacks, and continued to advance.

Kayla looked back, deep into lessons of training, and used everything that came to mind about sword fighting. The sword is not a simple metal tool. It is an extension of your arm, so it's movements flow likewise to your body's. No matter how bad you are at one move, try to use an array of fighting styles and moves, to keep your enemy from guessing seeing patterns in your strikes.

There were more, but Kayla was paying attention mostly to that last one. Not because she needed to work on it, but because Safiria did. This was obviously an experienced enemy she was fighting, but no one had taught the vampire that rule. Safiria did a very interesting yet predictable pattern of blows. For example, she was big on making those feints, faking to swipe in one direction and then switching at the last second.

It was a useful move, but became all too predictable in the end. Kayla see the edge she was playing, and could devise where to strike and parry. But the battle wasn't over yet.

At one point, Safiria and Kayla were locked, sword on sword, strength equal to the other. There was a flash of determination in the vampire's eyes, and before she could spot it, Kayla was pushed back by a tremendous force, landing on her back.

Pain flared up her spine, and Kayla was too stunned to get back up. In a flash, there was a sword tip pointed at her, inches from her throat. Fear jumped to her now quivering limbs, and Kayla's eyes widened.

"It was unwise to challenge the Queen of Vampires," Safiria hissed. Kayla gulped. The hard malice that tinted her golden eyes sharpened for a moment, but then faded away. Replacing it was something softer, interested... Was it admiration Kayla saw in those eyes? "You fight like a true vampire warrior," Safiria sighed, sheathing the long blade beneath her skirts.

"R-really?" Kayla stammered, overcome with relief, happiness, and disbelief. Feeling returned to her limbs. Her thumping heart slowed. Her harsh intakes of breath softened.

"You could prove useful to the Vempire," Safiria continued. "I will grant you a place as a maid. For now," Kayla stood up slowly, resting the katana back over the fireplace.

"And I'll stay... human?"

"You have the strength of a vampire; I don't see why not," Safiria smiled. Relief, stronger than before, washed over Kayla. Her suspicious thoughts relaxed. It was all working out the way it should.

"I would be honored to serve," Kayla said. Safiria nodded, happy with her response.

"Very well," She paused. "You mortals need sleep, don't you? In a few hours, your duties will begin. Does that sound reasonable?" Kayla nodded. "Good," Safiria concluded. Her hearing was over. "Brysin!"

The large doors creaked open as a blond head popped in. Brysin's eyes widened at the swords, Safiria's slightly torn dress, and Kayla's cuts and bruises.

"Your Highness?"

"You remember the Old Inn, right?" Safiria asked. Brysin nodded. "Take our new guest to it and wake her in eight or so hours," Her gaze flicked to Kayla. "Sorry we could not send you along with a form of dinner. I had no time to alert the kitchens,"

"That's fine," Kayla muttered, turning to leave. "I had something on the go,"

Brysin led her back down the maze of the castle, and soon they were outside again. Darkovia was forever night, so time was hard to keep track of. Watches and clocks were based on the tides and revolution of the moon. The point is, it's impossible to tell the difference between twelve o'clock noon and twelve o'clock midnight.

So when Kayla walked outside, she could not tell whether her hearing/fight had lasted a couple of minutes, which it probably had, or a couple of hours, which was what it felt like. Brysin led Kayla in silence across a long, dark field filled with tall grass, to a small inn.

It was white, but she could tell the paint was peeling, and it was a bit rundown.

"Personally," Brysin broke the silence. "I'm glad Safiria didn't kill you," He didn't pry for details about the fight, which was just fine with Kayla. There was a pause as she considered what he had said. She wasn't sure whether this was pity (which she didn't want) or an invisible offer of friendship (which she knew she shouldn't want, but seemed strangely to want).

"Why?" Kayla asked. She turned, but found that she was alone. "Thanks for ditching me," she grumbled, opening the door to the inn.

The light switch turned on one flickering light, enough luminescence to allow Kayla work her way to one of the bedrooms.

She lit a candle and surveyed the contents of her temporary room. The bed, when sat on, was not completely dust-covered, and not crawling with bugs, so that was a good start. No bats on the ceiling. Good. And there was a nice, simple window looking out into the woods. Perfect.

It was all perfect. Kayla had done it. The first step. She had made it into the Vempire, they (somewhat) trusted her. Now, her only job was to wait. To listen. To watch for any sign of weakness, any fault in behavior. But first, some rest...


	4. Chapter 4

_**I'm giving you a second chapter too, because I still feel a bit guilty. This one's short, though.**_

_Tap, tap, tap. _"Psst, Kayla!" _Tap, tap._ "Kayla!" It had barely felt like a minute before Kayla was awakened. Had it really been eight hours already?

_Tap, tap._ Someone was rapping their nails on the windowpane. She sat up slowly, fighting fatigue. There was no dawn or light of the sort to motivate her, so waking up had always been a drag.

"I'm up, I'm up," Kayla mumbled groggily.

"Kayla, it's Z," She looked up at the window and saw the ShadowSlayer's face. Her blond hair seemed to glow in the dark, and her brilliant blue eyes sparkled. Kayla got up and walked over to he window. It was a pain to push open, but soon cool air was rushing in.

"Z, I'm in," She gasped. Kayla was almost giddy with excitement. She didn't want to mention the fight, for fear of Z getting angry.

"And still human," She joked. "This is perfect. Oh, I saw you and that leech walking here. I followed. Actually, right now, I'm your personal alarm clock. Vamp-Boy's coming soon, and you need to be ready to begin the day. Don't forget your objective, Kayla. Keep eyes and ears open. We need their weakness. Got to go. Bye!" And she disappeared.

Kayla prepared herself quickly. She went into the small bathroom and splashed some cold water on her face. She put her long black hair up in a ponytail. She even took her old necklace, and fastened it around her neck. It had a long, silver chain with a large emerald pendant in the shape of a teardrop. It was a good luck charm, and today, Kayla would need all the luck she could get.

There was a knock on the door. Kayla jumped, and then hurried over to open it. Brysin stood in the doorway.

"Come on," He said, in what she guessed was a friendly matter. "Your work starts today,"

_**Like, really, really short.**_


	5. Chapter 5

_**As it turns out, I'm horrible at keeping promises! XD**_

_**It's been a week (actually more) because we went on vacation (again) for a week, and this just sort of... slipped my mind. Again, so sorry.**_

_**Hey, if any of you guys ever see me on aqworlds, my player name is Anenfel. I'll bet you were all thinking it was Kayla. Wrong! In fact my real name isn't even Kayla!**_

_**This chapter's a bit long... Read it all! It's good!**_

Kayla had been assigned to do the wash, and a few of the vampire servants had gotten an unexpected day off. The remaining kept a safe distance away, but she couldn't fathom why. Maybe because she was just human.

"We have had human visitors in the past," One of them, a temporary servant named Karina told her. Karina was the friendliest of the others, and she hated washing. She was Brysin's sister, and was called down temporarily to help with the laundry.

I wonder what happened to them, Kayla thought sarcastically as she shoved another of Safiria's dresses into the soapy warm water. She had been expecting making dinners, dusting those horrible cobwebs out of the corners, maybe even keeping watch guard duty. But nope, she was assigned to do the washing. Kayla was repulsed by the fact that a professional ShadowSlayer had to be stuck doing some stupid vampire's clothing.

"Tired?" Brysin, who had been watching most of it, teased. She glared angrily at him and threw a shirt onto the drying rack.

"You could help, you know," Kayla snapped. "if you have nothing better to do," She turned around and ironed a dark Victorian suit, like the one Brysin wore.

"Haha," He said dryly. "No. Besides, you wanted this," Her anger bubbled up madly inside of her, sending her fingers quivering.

"I didn't," She seethed. "Ask. For washing!" Kayla lunged at him, knowing he would probably just brush her off like dust. It wouldn't do any good.

But to her surprise (and Brysin's too, it seemed) he hissed and flinched, taking a large step back. Kayla raised her eyebrows. There was a long pause, but Brysin said nothing.

.~.o.O.o.~.

The next few days were filled with washing and suds, and Kayla began to wonder whether her hands were going to stay permanently wrinkled like prune. After a while, Safiria actually let her move up to cooking dinners (which were really just cutting up bloody, raw meat and filling crystal goblets with a suspicious red liquid). She excelled at cooking, even with the lack of it required. She had searched the kitchens thoroughly for any form of garlic just for something to do, but there was no such thing to be found. Duh.

Waking up was soon just a natural routine, even with no daylight to help. Mostly it was Z. Z visited just about every night, and she grew more and more frustrated with the lack of progress being made. Kayla began to dread those nights, when her master would be taking her from the peaceful realm of sleep to just a long lecture about how they needed a weakness now. She never understood why Z was so anxious to get the mission done. Kayla was straining her eyes and ears so hard under her command, she felt her head was going to explode. Sometimes, she just wanted to take a break from the stupid mission.

.~.o.O.o.~.

Kayla was sitting outside in the darkened courtyard, waiting for another assignment or odd-job that needed to be done, when Brysin was suddenly next to her. His red eyes glowed like candles in the darkness, almost hypnotizing.

"Want to go hunting with us?" He asked. Kayla realized he wasn't wearing his formal Victorian attire, but a leather hunting jacket and pants that were easy to run in. A wooden bow and sheath of arrows were slung across his back.

"I don't have any weapons," Kayla muttered, thinking guiltily about the silver dagger hidden in her boot.

"Why do you think I have these?" Brysin asked, throwing the bow and arrows to her feet. She stood up and took them eagerly, glad to have a formidable weapon in her hands, a source of protection. Kayla looked up at the vampire questioningly, for he had just given her his bow.

"I'm a vampire, remember? I fight with these," He bared his fangs and exposed his long, clawlike nails. "Growl,"

They laughed. Kayla realized she had changed a lot in a handful of days. If this had happened before, she might have grabbed her dagger and defended herself, mistaking his humor for hostility. She would have had been on her guard, not trusting anyone.

But now, she realized, as Brysin, Vannier (Safiria's fiance), Karina, and she headed off towards the woods, she trusted them. Kayla trusted the vampires.

Without knowing it, she realized he had positioned herself in between Karina (Brysin's sister) and Brysin. Kayla really did trust them, trusted them to defend her if a surprise attack was unleashed. She had no idea whether to be alarmed and mad at herself, or happy.

"Dire Wolf," Vannier said, pausing to smell the air. Kayla and the rest of them stopped too. Unspoken panic raced around the four of them. Karina pointed to the pines.

"Up a tree!" She hissed, and Kayla broke in a mad dash to the trees. In a flash, she was climbing smoothly from branch to branch. Fifteen feet up in the evergreen, she paused in her ascent. She had heard something. Kayla listened hard.

There it was again. She sat herself somewhat comfortably in a crown of branches, and analyzed what she was hearing. Branches snapping under large, heavy paws. A low, menacing growl. No doubt about it. A Dire Wolf was coming their way.

He was the size of a horse-drawn carriage, horses and all. Covered from head to tail in a thick layer of russet red fur, with deep black eyes and paws the size of trashcan lids, the Dire Wolf was still agile and quick, despite its size. It stopped in its rambling stroll to sniff the air.

Oh no, Kayla thought. It smells me, She looked over at Brysin, who was almost invisible in his cluster of branches. He nodded, understanding the danger, and mouthed two words.

Shoot it.

She automatically took aim. The arrow's mark rested in the wolf's black eye, its only weak spot apart from its mouth. In a heartbeat, Kayla let the shaft fly. It hit the wolf squarely in the front leg, not her intended destination.

The Dire Wolf roared, a sound so vast and loud, the trees seemed to shudder. It turned and leaped towards the tree Kayla was hidden in. There was a splintering crack as the tall pine began to bend under the enormous animal's weight, and Kayla was thrown to the ground.

However, she easily broke the fall with a shoulder roll, landing up on one knee, arrow notched in place. She aimed again for the eye, and released the deadly projectile. Again, she missed. It hit the wolf in the shoulder, and it howled in anger. By now, the other vampires were leaping from their trees, teeth and caws bared, now twice their usual size. They clung to the russet red fur, biting and clawing. Kayla did her best to help by shooting arrow after arrow, trying not to hit her allies.

Allies?

In one move, the wolf shook the trio of attackers from its back, advancing on Kayla, the weakest. She began to scramble away, but in one leap, she was pinned helplessly to ground. Only years of ShadowSlayer training allowed her to roll and dodge the Dire Wolf's bloody maw. Its hot breath threatened to choke her, and Kayla knew she couldn't keep this up forever.

"Kayla!" She heard Brysin yell. She saw him soaring in a huge arch overhead, clutching a sword in his hands, the tip aiming for the wolf.

The blow was not enough to kill the beast, only weaken it. But it was a distraction. The Dire Wolf's attention was taken away from Kayla and to Brysin. She should have been relieved, but worry made her heart sink like a stone.

Now Brysin was in danger. Kayla saw the wolf snap at him, and three long gashes appeared in his arm. No blood flowed from them, but from the glazed look in Brysin's eyes, he was definitely in much pain. Karina and Vannier tried to help, but were shaken off, like before. He was grasping his arm, to weak to hold his weapon, and the Dire Wolf was turning on him.

Wolf, Kayla thought. It's a wolf, Something dawned on her. From her boot, she drew the silver dagger. Silver. The werewolves' weakness. And the werewolves were descended from Dire Wolves...

She ran towards Brysin and the beast, not wasting another millisecond. Dagger clutched tightly in her hand, Kayla made a mighty leap in between the two of them, a human shield, just as the wolf leaned in to bite.

The silver tip caught the Dire Wolf in the head, right between the eyes. The momentum from its preparation to bite Brysin made her strain to keep her ground, but the blade was pushed even deeper into the wolf's skull. Kayla wanted to scream with pain as the wolf struggled. Her arms were on fire, every muscle wanting to explode.

But the Dire Wolf was weakening. Each struggle was weaker than the last, each breath more and more labored, and its growls getting less ferocious, until only whimpers remained. Finally, the final breath was breathed. The beast had been slain.

"Kayla," A husky voice came from behind her. She turned. Brysin was looking at her in awe. "You, you, you saved me," Kayla stared at him, not believing it.

But she had. She had just saved him. She, Kayla, a ShadowSlayer, had saved a vampire, one of her worst-

Enemies?

"That was amazing," Karina breathed, rushing over. Her blonde hair was ragged and mussed up. But despite her worn appearance, her eyes were shining with thanks. Kayla had saved her brother.

"Incredible," Vannier added.

"Thank you," Brysin finalized. Karina wrapped his arm in a makeshift cast. He stood up, gratitude swirling in his face. As Brysin walked over to her, Kayla could almost feel the atmosphere between them changing. He pulled her into a grateful embrace, and she couldn't tell whether it was warm or cold. She was just happy.

"Kayla!" Vannier called, bending over something in the grass. Brysin pulled away from her as she turned to face Vannier. "Is this your neckl-?"

It happened so fast, she almost missed it.

Vannier picked up her necklace, which had fallen when the Dire Wolf knocked down the tree. In a flash, he dropped it to the ground, holding his hand like it had been burned.

"Ouch!" He cried, but in a confused manner. Kayla came over and picked up he necklace, staring at him. Vannier said nothing, he just gave her a dark look. There was a pause, and then Karina called them over. It was time to go back to the castle.

The four of them made their way back through the woods, slowly dragging the Dire Wolf corpse behind them.


	6. Chapter 6

Brysin was explaining to Safiria the events of the evening as dinner was served. The two vampires kept stealing glances at Kayla from time to time, making her too nervous to eat.

After dinner, Safiria requested that Kayla speak with her. Her heart was all butterflies, and her head spun.

"It seems," The Vampire Queen said. "that you have proven yourself a worthy member of the Vempire tonight," Kayla nodded slowly, but her heart was beating fast.

She knew what would happen from here. She knew that after proving herself, Kayla was going to be bitten, turned into a vampire, one of the immortal creatures of the night. The exact thing she had devoted her life to get rid of. Z would never trust her now. This mission was swirling into failure.

"You don't deserve to sleep in that old inn," Safiria explained. Kayla looked up. What was this? "I think a room in the castle would suit you better,"

Kayla smiled eagerly, thanking her. But there was more to it. Not only did the vampires trust her now, but she was human! Still human! She wasn't going to be bitten, and Z would be proud of her accomplishment, and then, she could complete her mission. Maybe, just maybe, Brysin or someone would be able to confide in her their weakness.

And, she got a new bedroom! So there was happiness in almost every detail.

Kayla's new room was like a regular, old-fashioned bedroom, not as fancy and high quality as Safiria's (obviously) but much better than that tiny room in the inn (again, pretty obvious).

When she lay back in her new, soft, canopy bed decorated with red and gold sheets, sleep came almost instantly. Another big part of her mission had been competed. It was perfect. But as Kayla went drifting off to the realm of sleep, one little detail escaped her mind.

She had completely forgotten to meet Z at midnight.

_**Don't you just LOVE Short chapters?**_

_**(Note: Sarcasm level: Massive)**_

_**I hate short chapters.**_


	7. Chapter 7

_**Now this, my loyal readers, is an important chapter.. Probably the most important chapter in this book.**_

_**So**_

_**Read it.**_

"Z, I'm sorry!" It was the next night, and Kayla was doing everything in her power to explain things to the ShadowSlayer.

"I don't want to hear it," Z said flatly. "I couldn't care less about your love life with the leeches," Kayla gaped at her. She missed one night, and Z was holding in her face like she had made out with a vampire.

"Love life?" She gasped. "They trust me, so what? Isn't that what we need? Enough trust to ensure that we would never tell anyone their weakness? I could learn it, if you gave me the time!"

"I'm fine with them trusting you," Z explained. Kayla stared at her. "But do you trust them?" Kayla knew her immediate answer would be no. It was. But in no way was it immediate.

"No," Kayla said, somewhat firmly. "I don't trust the Vempire,"

"Vempire?" Z asked suspiciously.

"The Vampire Empire," Kayla sighed. "I'm sorry, their language is rubbing off on me. Safiria calls it that," Her voice drifted off.

"You know their weakness, don't you?" Z asked. It was out of the blue.

"No!" Kayla blurted out. But she felt as if she was lying. "How did this come up? I don't know!" But the ShadowSlayer wasn't satisfied.

"You're protecting someone, aren't you?" She inquired. Her voice became thoughtful as she rolled off the names. "I doubt it's Safiria. Maybe Alysha... no," Z was playing with her, like a cat dangling a mouse in front of it by its tail. The cat pokes the mouse and scratches it, doing small things to it, even though they both know, in the end, the mouse is in for it. Dinner. "I wonder...," Z's voice was sly. "Is it... a boy? What's his name... Are you trying to protect your sweet Brysin?" Kayla's heart thudded in her chest. The tips of her ears, thankfully concealed by hair, started to glow with warmth.

"I don't know their weakness," Kayla muttered, keeping herself under control.

"Kayla?" Z's voice was hard. Serious. And the look she gave her was colder than ice.

"Yeah?" Kayla asked slowly.

"Remember whose side you're on," Z hissed. "I have no time for traitors," And with that, she was gone, leaving Kayla alone in the woods. She gave a long, long look to where Z had disappeared, her gaze thoughtful. Slowly, Kayla turned her back on the trail, walking towards the forest's exit.

What had that even meant, 'Whose side are you on?' She was a ShadowSlayer. Human. And wanted nothing to do with the Vempire except keep it under control. That, Kayla thought, she was sure on. Or was she?

And where had Z come up with the idea that Kayla knew their weakness? Kayla thought about it all the way back to the castle, all the way to her room. She sat in her bed, twiddling the emerald pendant of her necklace between her fingers, making green light dance across the walls.

Did she know their weakness? Of course not. But it seemed she did, as if she was staring it right in the face. She was close. Kayla could tell. Her thoughts began to waver, sliding from her control. Kayla didn't fight it. This was an old ShadowSlayer technique, not used quite as much anymore. Prophecy. She was reading her own mind.

Images popped at random into her mind. Brysin, hissing in what seemed to be fear, as he flinched away from her; Safiria, a powerful Vampire Queen, keeping a safe distance; vampires watching from the shadows, not daring to come closer. It was all as if she had a large bubble around her, pushing out the unwanted guests.

Do they fear me? Kayla wondered. No...

She remembered Vannier, picking up her necklace from the ground, then clutching his hand like he had been burned...

The vampire's weakness. Staring her right in the face.

The vampire's weakness is emerald, Kayla thought, staring at the gem in amazement. What were the odds? Indeed, what were they? That she would just happen to bring along an emerald pendant with her, just happen to have the weakness slung around her neck. It was almost like her...

Fate?

_**Out of random curiosity (not all that random) you here believes in fate?**_

_**Me? Not sure. Haven't had any fate-related incidents happen.**_

_**You know who are cool? The Fates. Three hag ladies who weave cloth all day. Now that is the kind of people have a life around here.**_

_**Shutting up.**_


	8. Chapter 8

What do I tell Z? She would have to tell her. What she had just learned, it completed her mission. The whole reason she was here. This was the last step in the process, the final accomplishment. And Kayla had done it. So why was she so worried about giving it away? What kept her from deciding to finish the mission she started?

Fear.

Fear for the Vempire, for Safiria, for Brysin. If she let that secret out, they were in danger. At risk. Kayla didn't even know if they knew about their drawback, when she remembered the confusion in Vannier's face. They had no idea about the secret she now held.

This mission was not over. Z was right, but in another way too.

There was another, even more final step to this mission.

The final step would be to decide whose side Kayla was on.

Soon, Kayla fell into an uneasy sleep. She wanted to get away from all that sudden new knowledge. She needed a break from the decisions.

_She was in the woods. She ran blindly through the pines, searching. Searching for something important. She teared blindly through the branches, which scratched her like claws. Her moves became frantic. Where was it? But she was close now. She could sense its presence._

_There was a clearing up ahead, bathed in silver moonlight. A tall figure stood in the center. Holding the thing she needed._

"_Thank you Kayla," It was Z. Holding the emerald necklace. "Thanks for telling me," She threw the necklace to her._

_Kayla caught it easily with lightning-fast reflexes, but something was wrong. It burned. The heat of the pendant ripped her skin like fire. She stared at herself reflected in the emerald. Golden eyes. Pale skin. And two small fangs sliding over her lower lip. She was a vampire. A deadly hunter of the night._

_And Z was trying to kill her with her own necklace._

"_Why are you doing this?" She screeched at Z, dropping the burning pendant to the ground. "What does this accomplish?" Z smiled widely._

"_Now that the werewolves," There was a howl from the opposite end of the clearing. "know your weakness, and you know their weakness," Z grinned evilly. Kayla looked at the silver dagger that had appeared in the palm of her hand. "it will be no problem for you two to destroy yourselves!" She laughed._

"_This means-" Kayla realized, her golden eyes widening. She gasped, embedding the tip of the dagger in the earth._

"_Yes Kayla!" Z screamed. "ANOTHER WAR!"_

Kayla woke up in a thin layer of sweat, Z's laughter ringing in her ears.

Is that really what's going to happen? She wondered. Is Z really trying to bring on another war? Kayla shuddered at the thought.

Slowly, Kayla got dress in some new clothes that had been laid out for her in the night. It was a green silk dress, simple, but much better than those peasant clothes she had been wearing before. As she looked in the mirror, Kayla found her face pale. Very pale. The raw power of the dream was slipping away, but fright still echoed ghostly in the lack of color in her skin.

She had a break from her duties today, so Kayla wandered aimlessly around the castle, making a habit of counting tapestries or purposely getting herself lost, anything that would distract her from the disturbing and horrifying thoughts in her mind. But still, the question from the night before still lingered and clung to the back of her mind like a cobweb.

_What do I tell Z?_

The midnight hour was arriving too fast for Kayla's liking. She thought her choice would have been obvious, that she would tell Z the story, and then the mission would be over. But Kayla wasn't sure of anything now.

At least I can trust the vampires, She reminded herself. They had given her the right to stay human, a home to live in, and a place in the Vempire. They trusted her. So why shouldn't she return the favor?

But as the hour hand moved closer and closer to the twelve, Kayla decided there would be no point in not seeing Z. Maybe she could persuade the ShadowSlayer to let her go. She could pretend like she didn't know the vampire's weakness, and Z would understand.

At midnight, Kayla left for the woods. She could now easily see the trees and rocks through the darkness, know where every hidden rabbit hole and tree root was placed. This path must have been so familiar to her now, meeting with Z almost every night.

But it was more than that. The sounds, the smells, everything seemed to have a more vibrant effect on her senses. It wasn't wrong. It wasn't strange or insane. Yet it wasn't right.

It was beautiful.

But she had yet to discover the price of beauty.

And she was able to sense Z. She was hiding, hiding among the branches. Kayla slowed, and then pinpointed her location. It was so simple. Right... There.

Kayla spun around, and just in time. A black figure came flying from one of the trees, and she just barely dodged it. From her boot, she pulled the silver dagger. It was Z. Her ShadowSlayer hat's brim, with a tall crooked peak like a witch's, was pulled down, masking her face in shadow. A long, thin blade was clutched in her hand. And she had a piercing, fiery aura about her.

Anger.


	9. Chapter 9

"Z!" She shouted, as the dark figure prepared to attack. The blade in its hand shined in the moonlight. "It's Kayla!"

"No," The ShadowSlayer replied darkly. "Not anymore,"

"What? No!" Kayla shouted firmly.

"Then tell me, what is the vampire's weakness?" Z was pestering her, but at least she wasn't attacking.

"I don't know!" Kayla shouted. But her voice cracked. No, it splintered. Splintered into tiny little fragments, all shouting that this was a lie. "Why do you care?"

"I've told you," Z sighed. "If the vampire population swells too large, we need to stop it,"

"We?" Kayla asked. "Last time I checked, I was a leech-loving traitor. Oh, and there's the fact that you just tried to kill me!"

Z smiled. "That leech-loving traitor holds a very important secret. I need you to tell me that secret, and you need me to make sure you aren't putting your trust in the wrong hands. Therefore, it's a 'we,'" Kayla glared, knowing, somehow, there was something she wasn't saying.

"What if I don't want you to choose who I trust?" She asked coldly.

"Oh dear," Z clucked her tongue. "You really don't know, do you?" Fake sympathy mingled in her smile.

"I don't know what?" Kayla asked firmly, but her voice trembled. Something was wrong.

"Feel you neck, Kayla," She said. Kayla stared.

"What?"

"Feel. Your. Neck,"

Slowly, obediently, Kayla put a hand to her cold neck. Her ice cold neck. Except for the odd drop in temperature, it felt normal. Smooth. Absolutely the same.

Until her fingers caught on two scabs, side by side, and very small. Her eyes widened in shock, realization.

"Oh my god," Kayla breathed. "I've been-"

"Bitten," Z confirmed. She paused, letting this sink in. "Do you really trust the vampires? Did they even tell you?" Kayla ran through the process of being turned vamp. It took only two to four days. First: Skin gets cold, pale. Second: Your eyes change, red or yellow. Third: Fangs. You are a vampire. If this had happened yesterday, Kayla might already be a vampire.

They hadn't even told her! She stared at her reflection in her dagger. Pale skin, yes. But yellow eyes and fangs? Not yet. She had time.

"Kayla," Z said warmly. "If you tell me the vampire's, uh, I mean, your weakness, I can reverse it. See this," She held up a bottle of green liquid. "This stops the transformation. Take it, tell me the weakness, and you can become a ShadowSlayer again. Everything forgiven, and back to your normal life. Your life with them," She gestured to the direction of Safiria's castle. "is fake. They lied to you, Kayla. I would never do that," Kayla had been tempted. But whether it was her growing vampire skills or whatever, something in that last sentence pricked her suspicion. Z wasn't telling her something. Something big.

"No," She growled firmly. The ShadowSlayer's eyes went cold, her whole friendly personality gone hostile.

"So be it," Z hissed icily, dismissively. "Leech," And without another word, she disappeared into the darkness, leaving no trace.

As she made it back to her room, Brysin passed her in the hallway.

"Get away from me!" She shouted, disgusted with him, with Safiria, with Z, everyone.

"I tried to stop them!" He cried out, following her. "I told Safiria you would disagree! You needed a say! They wouldn't listen to me!" But Kayla just rudely shoved by him, not caring about the consequences. He was lying. Just to get her to like him again. Kayla had loved him. She admitted it, she had loved him. And Brysin had known. But now? Forget it.

How could they do that? Kayla thought back up in her room, staring at her human/vampire reflection in the mirror. I thought they trusted me. I thought I could trust them.

Who did trust her? Who did she trust? Z would never allow her back in with the ShadowSlayers, after that night. Safiria didn't even trust her enough to keep her human. The werewolves were, in no way, an option for her. She spat on the human reservation.

Who was left for her? Brysin?

Kayla tried to fall asleep, but her growing vampire skills and traits tried to forbid any form of tire. She must have drifted off at some point, because she was awakened by Brysin. He was shaking her arm, yelling her name, ordering her to get up. In the background, there were screams and shouts of other vampires. This wasn't good.

"Kayla!" He yelled. "Wake up!" She sat up, feeling the urgency in the air. Yells and war cries echoed from the hallways. Kayla ran to her window, looking out at the scene. Vampires were rushing off into the woods, carrying any form of weapon. Everything from a sword to a baseball bat. Her eyes widened in horror.

Brysin said something, but she didn't need to hear it to know what was happening. The horror, the terror, the shock of it all swirled into one clear thought.

_It's another war_, Kayla thought, looking at the yelling vampires below. _Z is bringing on another war._


	10. Chapter 10

Something was burning on her throat. It was starting. Kayla unclasped the emerald pendant, and stuffed it in her pocket. Dangerous or not, it was still her good luck charm. She grabbed her two new daggers from the bedside table, knowing she would need them.

"We need your help," Brysin said, his voice strangely small. "I know we lied. We're turning you into something you never wanted to be. We broke your trust," Kayla turned to face him, expecting that stupid little plea for help. How pitiful.

Brysin slipped his hand into hers. She stared at him. "I won't be the one to blame you if you hate us. If you hate me. Fight for the werewolves if you wish. I will never blame you for the decision you make, Kayla," She barely felt it, barely saw it, but could sense it as Brysin's lips lightly brushed her cheek.

"Thank you," Kayla said, not sure whether it was for the speech or the kiss. Maybe it was just for being someone she could trust. A salty tear rolled down her cheek, and he wiped it gently away with his finger. Kayla, driven only by raw emotion, flung herself onto him, not crying, just savoring the moment in his arms. Brysin didn't resist, he only wrapped himself protectively around her.

They rushed downstairs, following the battle-hungry vampires. From then on, they just went with the flow, which led Kayla to the woods. Vampires were assembling, getting ready to fight, as they pushed farther into the dark forest.

Up ahead was a clearing, just like the one in Kayla's dream. Bathed in moonlight, with Z in the center. Except now, behind her was crowded with masses of fur and claws. Werewolves. Werewolves were like wolves, same color and basic shape, but they stood on their hind legs, and much more deadly.

"Kayla!" Z called out. Kayla pushed through the vampires, all waiting for Safiria's command, into the moonlight. She glared coldly at the ShadowSlayer.

"I can stop this now," Z explained. "Come back to the ShadowSlayers, and I can call off this war. They," She gestured to the werewolves. "will obey my command. All you have to do is give me your word,"

"Kayla?" She turned at Brysin's voice. "You were a ShadowSlayer? Is that true?" Kayla nodded grimly. Already regetting sharing that hug.

"I'm sorry I never told you," She hung her head. "I shouldn't have lied," Z held up the bottle of green liquid from the night before, her face pulled back in a pearly grin.

"I'm giving you a final chance," She explained. "You can still come back,"

Kayla looked from the vampires, who had lied to her, didn't trust her any longer, to Z, who was offering her a final chance to return to her old life, being a ShadowSlayer. She had a choice.

"Remember," Z added. "I can call off the war. Right. Now," Kayla had decided. Her hand reached out and took the vile.

Z smiled widely, and the vampires hissed and booed from behind her. Brysin was not one of them. Her distorted image was reflected in the glass. Her eyes had turned a deep shade of gold. She could stop this now...

Kayla raised the vile to her lips, pausing as the smell reached her nose. It all made no sense. The answer was so simple, yet the details so complicated.

One of them being that there was no. Such. Thing. As a cure to vampirism.

She remembered her dream, and in a flash, it all made sense. The smell of the liquid. The dream. Z wanted to destroy all the night creatures.

And she was starting with Kayla.

She crushed the vile in between her fingers, brittle as a toothpick. The toxins dripped into the grass, and she smiled slyly at Z.

"Sorry Z," Kayla laughed. " I'm a vampire. Poison is out of the question. Oh, and I won't be sorry," Z was visibly infuriated.

"Attack!" She shouted, unleashing an avalanche of fur and claws. Growls, howls, and hisses ripped through the night air, chaos breaking loose. Kayla darted in between vampires and werewolves, searching for Z, who had disappeared in the flurry of attack.

She caught a glimpse of cloak and blond hair, and chased after it. A werewolf stood in her way, but she sent a well aimed blow to its eye, and it collapsed. Kayla looked around frantically, not wanting to lose her quarry. There!

Z was standing off to the edge, where the fights were less numerous. In her hand was a very, very long sword. She was waiting.

"End this now!" Kayla hissed. Z frowned.

"Why should I?" She asked. Kayla swung, and the two were locked in combat, metal on metal. Z slashed at her side, and Kayla parried and returned the blow with her other dagger. Z dodged the swing with a sidestep.

Kayla then brought down both daggers, and Z blocked them with her sword. Their strength equal, the two stood there, trembling with the force of the other's blow.

"This," Z croaked, her left hand moving from her sword towards her pocket. "Ends," Kayla watched in horror as she drew a short, black, knife. "Now!"


	11. Chapter 11

_**Hey guys. I bet you were all hoping, maybe Kayla made it out. Maybe Kayla was able to defeat Z and live an immortal love life with Brysin. Maybe she was able to share with Brysin one last kiss before she died...**_

_**TOO BAD! HAHAHAHAHA!**_

_That day, I never knew whose side I was truly on. But the second Z tried to poison me, my place was obvious. The Vempire would never go to such lengths to get rid of me. Brysin would never go to such lengths to get rid of me. I was not the traitor. It was Z who had betrayed me, lied to me, tried to misplace my trust. I knew who I belonged to._

_She escaped, in the end. The war lasted a year, again destroying most of the inhabitants, but the vampire and werewolf colonies still remained. Z was never able to find the vampire's weakness. The secret died with me._

_So my death did have some significance. I kept the Vempire safe. I kept Brysin safe._

_I did not die a traitor._

_**So, that's the end.**_

_**I really hoped you liked it, because I did. It wasn't exactly a happy ending, but it was nice.**_

_**Personnally, I wish I could have made the ending a little more dramatic. A little more emotional. More feeling. More emphasis. But I guess it was alright.**_

_**Please review! I want to know what you thought of this story! Becuase, believe it or not, it is only the second story I've ever finished!**_

_**Oh, and remember, this is Book 1, so look out for more Secrets of Darkovia, coming to a fanfiction website near you! Have a nice day!**_

_**Whoa. The author notes are longer than the chapter. Oopsies! XD**_


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